To the editor:
I take issue with regards to the letter Coun . Frank Pullia wrote, entitled “How Council Makes Decisions,” (Thunder Bay Source, Aug. 6, 2010).
In our entire history, I have never seen a more mismanaged city. Our taxes keep going up, our infrastructure is crumbling and this council continues to spend money on mega projects they somehow believe will benefit the citizens of Thunder Bay.
On all of these issues, we have had more public protests in this one term of city council than the entire history of Thunder Bay.
These are only a few examples that prove “disconnection does exist between citizen’s expectations and council/administration’s capability to deliver timely and effective decisions."
To further stifle city council’s decision-making process, a motion was put forward to limit councillors to three questions per round. Keep in mind this was brought forward by our only appointed councillor, Mr. Tuchanhagen.
Sadder still, almost all of city council allowed this to happen. This will make it harder for our elected representatives to hold members of administration accountable since they now can use stalling tactics by not fully answering questions, causing councillors to ask the same question a different way. As it has been proven so far, council meetings haven’t been shorter.
To answer Coun. Pullia’s question, “Is it really as bad as it seems?” Yes it is Frank, yes it is! Aside from the overspending developing Marina Park, the consequences of the poor planning of the construction of the courthouse and the lack of public consultation regarding the wind farms, what has city administration done about managing the infrastructure of the city itself?
We have the firefighter and transit unions without negotiated contracts. Whether you are for unions or not, would it not be wise to have settled before their previous contracts expired?
My solution to get administration to settle immediately with these unions would be to threaten freezing all of senior administration's wages for four years. I guarantee the matter would be resolved.
I take issue with regards to the letter Coun . Frank Pullia wrote, entitled “How Council Makes Decisions,” (Thunder Bay Source, Aug. 6, 2010).
In our entire history, I have never seen a more mismanaged city. Our taxes keep going up, our infrastructure is crumbling and this council continues to spend money on mega projects they somehow believe will benefit the citizens of Thunder Bay.
On all of these issues, we have had more public protests in this one term of city council than the entire history of Thunder Bay.
These are only a few examples that prove “disconnection does exist between citizen’s expectations and council/administration’s capability to deliver timely and effective decisions."
To further stifle city council’s decision-making process, a motion was put forward to limit councillors to three questions per round. Keep in mind this was brought forward by our only appointed councillor, Mr. Tuchanhagen.
Sadder still, almost all of city council allowed this to happen. This will make it harder for our elected representatives to hold members of administration accountable since they now can use stalling tactics by not fully answering questions, causing councillors to ask the same question a different way. As it has been proven so far, council meetings haven’t been shorter.
To answer Coun. Pullia’s question, “Is it really as bad as it seems?” Yes it is Frank, yes it is! Aside from the overspending developing Marina Park, the consequences of the poor planning of the construction of the courthouse and the lack of public consultation regarding the wind farms, what has city administration done about managing the infrastructure of the city itself?
We have the firefighter and transit unions without negotiated contracts. Whether you are for unions or not, would it not be wise to have settled before their previous contracts expired?
My solution to get administration to settle immediately with these unions would be to threaten freezing all of senior administration's wages for four years. I guarantee the matter would be resolved.
Andy Wolff,
Thunder Bay
